Bulgaria's President Willing to Give Reformist Bloc Mandate to Form Govt

Politics » DOMESTIC | December 2, 2016, Friday // 21:26
Bulgaria: Bulgaria's President Willing to Give Reformist Bloc Mandate to Form Govt File photo, EPA/BGNES

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has said he has a strong preference for giving the Reformist Bloc coalition a mandate to form a government.

Plevneliev, in an interview with the public broadcaster's Panorama, has put an end to speculation that he intends on giving the nationalist Patriotic Front coalition a chance to form a government later in December.

I cannot give the mandate to a party that contradicts EU values, he has told Panorama. 

On Tuesday, he said he would give a mandate to the political force showing desire to form a cabinet.

Plevneliev is due to hand a mandate to the socialist BSP party, the second-largest political force, next Wednesday. However, socialists have said they will return the mandate. The President is determined to work for a new administration within the current Parliament without the need to call an early election.

He has also hinted the Reformist Bloc is fit to deal with the complicated international environment and the need for Bulgaria to embrace Western values and take a side.

"I don't see the middle path. In these hard times, you are either with the West or with the East. You can't get along with both," he has said, in an apparent reference to demands from a number of politicians, including his successor Rumen Radev, that Bulgaria should restore economic relations with Russia.

While supporting free trade with all countries, he has insisted political relations should be based on values. 

Plevneliev has called on outgoing Prime Minister Boyko Borisov to nominate the next EU Commissioner of the country, hours after Borisov argued that should be done by an interim cabinet.

"How do you imagine that an interim government appointed by me will nominate me for European Commissioner?" the head of state has replied when asked whether he will be Bulgaria's nominee.

"I am the President, not a Commission candidate."

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Domestic » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: Rosen Plevneliev, Boyko Borisov, EU Commissioner, Reformist Bloc, Patriotic Front, political crisis, Russia

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria